I received an Advanced Reading Copy of White Houses from NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley! White Houses is out February 13, 2018.
A story of politics, relationships, and secrets, White Houses by Amy Bloom is a eye opening piece of historical fiction that portrays the story of a woman mostly forgotten. Real life journalist Lorna Hickok, known affectionately as Hick, is a top AP reporter who has been tasked with covering Franklin Roosevelt's bid for the White House. Here she meets Eleanor Roosevelt-who will prove to be a lasting relationship through out her life. As her love for Eleanor grows, Hick will become a permanent figure in the White House, a well known secret and fierce protector of both Roosevelts.
The story tells of Hick's memories of her brutal, poverty stricken childhood, to becoming a reporter, to meeting and falling in love with Eleanor and their decades long romance, to working in the FDR White House, to the death of Roosevelt and finally to her years after Eleanor's death. She sugar coasts no one, least of all herself.
The novel is laid out in an almost interview type way-fitting for a book about a prominent news reporter. I could almost picture a reporter sitting with Hick, tape recorder on the the table, as she told the writer her memories, skipping back and forth between years and thoughts. While an intresting layout, it made the reading slightly challenging to keep characters and events in order at times.
Overall, a very interesting piece of historical fiction. It's obvious that Amy Bloom did extensive research on the her topic. It's a lovely but melancholy story, one full of secrets-Franklin Roosevelt's health, Hick's childhood abuse, and love that is hidden away.
Overall: 4/5
White Houses, Amy Bloom
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Out: Feb 13, 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment